DIY Boyfriend Shirt Tunic

I was bored yesterday, and with no money to go shopping, I decided to “shop” in my closet. I found this shirt that was given to me by my brother because he ordered it online and didn’t like it in person. It’s a large and I’m a small, so I never wear it even though I love the graphic art on it.

Isn’t it awesome? It was a shame to only wear it to bed, so I decided to revamp it into a tunic. It turned out pretty cute and I thought I’d share the steps with you so you can make your own!

1. Cut out the neckline.

2. Shorten the sleeves.

3. Turn the shirt inside out and sew long, loose stitches (also called basting). This can be done with a sewing machine or by hand. Make sure the back and the front are done separately. This will make it easier to gather.

Be sure to leave long strings at each end.

4. Now gather the fabric. You do this by holding the string in one hand and pushing the fabric away from the end of the string with the other hand.

Make sure the gathering is even all the way across. Estimate or measure the circumference of the gathering compared to your bust. You want it a little larger than your bust so you can slip it over your hips or shoulders. Once you think it is the right size, tie knots in the long strings.

5. Try on the tunic to make sure you can get it on. It took me two tries to get it right. If you hear the stitches ripping, don’t worry about it. Basting stitches are meant to be temporary. If it doesn’t fit, try loosening the gathering.

6. If it fits, sew a strip of elastic over the gathering. I used “invisible thread” since the thread would be going directly through the graphic art.

6. Remove the basting. Since it is loose stitching, it should come out pretty easily. And that’s it!

I love revamping old tees, extra large and large are really fun to work with. There is another way to use elastic, have you tried elastic thread in your bobbin, it’s one less step and works wonders for so many fun projects. Also known as Shirring!